Oscillating drive and clutch means for electrically driven fans and the like



Dec. 20. 1955 P. s. FRERER ETAL OSCILLATING DRIVE AN D CLUTCH MEANS FOR ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN FANS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 26, 1952 Dec. 20. 1955 FRERER r 2,727,610

OSCILLATING DRIVE AND CLUTCH MEANS FOR ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN FANS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1952 INVENTORS ff czal fiez'er a am? 287 BY F a 2 7%- WM Cliiorrzqg ND \\\\\\\Q United States Patent OSCILLATING DRIVE AND CLUTCH FOR ELECTRICALL-Y DRIVEN rn s nn run LIKE Paul G. Frerer and Ivan -W. 'Maier, Peru, IIL, assignors to Soreug Products Corporation, Schiller Park, 11]., a corporation of Delaware App i a i n m g .5 a N 4.5: 6 Claims. or. 192-536) Our invention relates to pseillating driveand clutch means for electrically drivenfans and'the like.

Heretofore, the oscillating drive means embodied in conventional electrically driven fans have been unsatisfactory for the reason that if a fan in its oscillation encountered an obstruction and oscillation of the fan were impeded, the fan would either tip over, or if the base of the fan were securely anchored then the motor would stall resulting in burning out of the motor and injury thereto. Additionally, the means heretofore provided 'for coupling in the oscillating drive means usually comprised a screw element located in the rear of the fan which was required to be rotated in one direction 9r another to effect engagement or disengagement of the oscillating drive means. The particular character of the coupling in means heretofore provided rendered impositive the actual driving connection effected, since after an interval of operation, the oscillating drive means frequently would become disengaged from the motor drive shaft resulting in arresting of oscillation of the fan.

Accordingly, it is an object of our invention to provide improved driving means for oscillating the-blades of an electric fan or the like wherein the fan is eaused to oscillate but upon the fan blade guard engaging an obstruction or being otherwise impeded inits'qscilla'ting movement, ,the drive means are automatically declutclied fromthe motor drive shaft, so that the motor may continue to drive the fan and thereby avoid stalling of the motor.

Another object of our invention is the provision of means in an oscillating type f a n structure .Which will' 'loclc the fan in any desired directional position, within the range of oscillation, at the instant'os cillation of the fan is arrested.

Another object of our invention is the provision of i r nproved clutch means arranged so that the complemental clutching elements are brought into operative engagement with a precise value of thrust sothatwhen oscillation of the fan is impeded the said clutch elements will slip rel ative to each other and therebfprevent stallingof the motor with consequent injury thereto.

A further object of our invention'is the provision of improved cooperating clutch elements so constructed that relative wear of the parts is automatically taken up.

A still further object of our invention is the provision of a finger tip control means readily accessible and easily manipulatable for clutching or declutching the oscillating drive means in relation to the drive shaft of the motor.

Still a further object of our invention is the provision of improved means of the foregoing character which are simple in construction and durable and highly efficient in service.

Other and further objects and advantages of our invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cressrsectional view through a part of an electric fan and showing the motor andoscillat r a ean n s de e evatiaa- 2,727,610 Patented Dec, 20, 1955 Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the portion of the fan illustrated in Fig. 1 with certain parts of the housing broken away to show details of construction.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a detail of construction.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the clutch elements in different relativepositions; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the parts in a diiferent position of operation.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates generally a housing supported for oscillating movement on a standard 11. Suitably supported within the housing 10 is a motor 11a on the rearward end of which is mounted the oscillating drive and clutching means constituting our invention, the same being identified generally by the numeral 12.

The clutching and oscillating drive means 12 comprises a housing 13 which is substantially a box-like structure open at the top and formed of front and rear Walls 14 and 16 respectively and side walls and bottom walls 17 and 18 respectively. A top closure member 19 is provided for-the housing 13, the same being secured in position by suitable screws. The rear wall 16 is provided with sidewardly directed lugs 21 which are pierced to receive bolts for the purpose of securing the housing to the rearward end wall of the motor 11a. The rear wall 16is additionally provided with upper and lower lugs 22 and 23 respectively, each of the said lugs being threaded to receive a set screw such as 24, the said set screws serving in assembly of the parts to properly align the worm gear 26 on the end of the motor shaft 27, with the worm wheel 28 to be hereinafter described. As will be apparent by reference to Fig. 3, the motor drive shaft 27 projects through an aperture 29 in the wall 16, the end of the shaft having the worm gear 26 being disposed within the housing 13 The side walls 17 of the housing 13 are provided with apertures 31 in axial alignment and adapted to receive a shaft 32 one end of which is serrated on its peripheral surface as at 33 so that the shaft may be forced into one of the sidewall apertures and securely locked therein against rotation. Rotatably supported on the shaft 32 is an elongated rotatable member 34 having at one end a worm gear 36, an adjacent conical portion 37, and a reduced end portion 38. The said member'is freely to tatable on the shaft 32 and is confined between the sidewalls 17 of the housing 13. Ro tatably supported on the reduced end 38 of the member 34 is a'sleeve 39 provided with an intermediate flange 41. A coiled spring 42 encompassing the sleeve abuts the flange 41 and a thrust Washer 42a press fitted on the end 38 to bias the sleeve in a direction to the right, as viewed in Fig. 7.

Supported on the conical portion 37 of the member 34 is a worm wheel 28 adapted for operative engagement with the worm gear 26 or the motor shaft. The worm wheel 28 is axially bored to provide a conical or tapered seat 43 adapted for cooperative engagement with the conical portion 37 of the rotatable member 34. As will be apparent, the seat 43 and conical portion 37 constitute complemental faces of clutch elements. The draft or taper of the seat 43 is slightly different from that of the conical 130111101137 so that substantially only peripheral line .centact is established between the said parts when in operative engagement. For noiseless operation'the worm wheel 28 is preferably formed of some suitable nonmetallic material such as Bakelite or high impact plastic material, although it will be understood that the said worm wheel may be formed of any suitable metal. The worm wheel 28 is normally biased by the spring 42 in a direction to engage the conical surface 37, thereby effecting a driving connection between the Worm gear 36 and worm wheel 28 so as to effect rotation of the former when the worm wheel 28 is rotated by the worm gear 26 of the motor shaft. As will be more clearly apparent by reference to Figs. 7 and 8, the taper or draft of the seat 43 of the worm wheel in relation to the conical clutch portion 37 is such that the largest diameter of the seat of the worm wheel in the first use of the device will engage with the conical portion 37 at some intermediate position thereon and as the seat 43 wears progressively the gear wheel 28 will be caused to engage along progressively larger diametral points to effect a driving connection between the respective parts. In other words, as the wear progresses, the conical surface will enter farther into the seat 43. As will be apparent by reference to the drawings, the arrangement provided for compensation for wear is such that the smallest diameter of the seat 43 ofthe worm wheel may engage substantially the largest diameter of the conical portion 37 before it becomes necessary to replace the parts for excessive wear. I

Disposed between the flange 41 of the sleeve 39 and the worm wheel 28 is a yoke member 44 which is fulcrumed as at 46 between two spaced bosses 47 on the rear wall 16 of the housing. The yoke member 44' is formed with an intermediate offset portion 48 which is adapted to engage with the flange 41 of the sleeve. The free end of the yoke member 44 is bifurcated to provide two spaced arms 49 which are bent at a right angle to the plane of the body of the yoke member. The said arms are adapted to embrace a cam 51 integral with a cam shaft 52 which is supported for rotation in the front wall of the housing. The cam is substantially cylindrical with a portion ground off to provide a flat face 53 as illustrated in Fig. 5. The cam shaft is recessed as at 54 to receive a suitable key 56 which serves to lock the cam shaft in position against inadvertent displacement but permits rotation thereof. Fixed to the outer end of the cam shaft 52 is control lever 57 which passes through a slot in the bottom of the housing 10. The yoke member 44 is provided near the end thereof with a threaded aperture to receive a set screw 58 the head of which is adapted to engage the cam 51. The screw may be adjusted axially so as to provide a means for adjustment of the movement of the yoke member 44. As will be noted in Fig. l, the control lever 57 has an offset portion to provide clearance for other operating parts hereinafter to be described. The said lever is also perforated to receive one end of a spring 59 which has its other end anchored in an aperture provided in an overhanging portion of the top closure plate 19. The spring 59 serves to retain the lever against inadvertent displacement in a position to which it has been actuated. Additionally, the lever has a lug 61 struck out from the body thereof, the said lug being adapted to engage the bottom wall of the housing 13 so as to limit the movement of the lever in either direction of movement about the axis of the cam shaft 52.

A worm wheel 62 suitably supported for rotation in the bottom wall 18 of the housing 13 is adapted to engage with the worm gear 36. The worm wheel shaft 63 projects through the bottom wall 18 of the housing and has fixed thereto a disc 64 for rotation coincident with the worm wheel. A felt washer 66 supported on the disc 64 serves to absorb any lubricant which may pass from the housing through the shaft aperture in the bot- .tom'wall of the housing. An oscillating link 67 has one end thereof pivotally secured to the disc 64 by a pin 68a which is disposed eccentric to the axis of rotation of the disc. The opposite end of the oscillating link 67 is connected to a stationary pin 68 supported on the fan standard 11.

The operation of our invention should be apparent from the foregoing description, but briefly stated it is as follows: During the course of operation of the fan when the fan motor is energized, the worm gear 26 is caused to rotate concurrently with the motor shaft 27. The worm wheel 28 being in engagement with the worm gear is correspondingly caused to rotate simultaneously therewith. Assuming that it is desired to effect oscillation of the fan blade, the control lever 57 is shifted to the position illustrated in Figs. 4, 6 and 9, so as to position the fiat face 53 of the cam in engagement with the set screw 58. Thus, the yoke member 44 is positioned out of engagement with the flange 41 of the sleeve 39 and the full thrust of the coil spring 42 is transmitted through the sleeve direct to the worm wheel 28 effecting engagement of the tapered seat 43 of the worm wheel with the conical clutch portion 37 to thereby effect rotation of the worm gear 36 which in turn drives the worm wheel 62 to actuate the oscillating link 67 in a well known manner. It is particularly noted that the thrust exerted by the coil spring 42 is adjusted or calibrated by selective positioning of the washer 42a on the end 38 so that a predetermined value of thrust is caused to be exerted against the worm wheel 28 whereby when oscillation of the fan is prevented or impeded the worm wheel 28 is caused to slip on the conical portion 37 of the member 32 and thereby avoid stalling of the motor with a consequent burning out thereof. It will be understood that the thrust exerted by the spring 42 is such as to be sufficient to effect normal oscillation of the fan blade, but is yet of such value that when the fan meets with any resistance to its oscillating movement relative slippage between the clutching faces takes place. Assuming that it is desired to arrest the oscillation of the fan blade, the control lever 57 is moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein a high point of the cam 51 engages with the set screw 58 and causes the yoke member 44 to engage with the flange 41 of the sleeve. Thus, the full thrust of the spring 42 is taken up by the yoke member 44 permitting disengagement of the clutching faces whereby the worm wheel 28 may rotate freely on the member 32.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the fan may be readily converted from oscillating to non-oscillating condition or stopped in any desired directional position merely by flicking the control lever 57 from one position to the other as desired. Also the use of a nonmetallic worm wheel as a clutch element provides for silentand smooth operation and avoids binding of the parts, whereby desired slippage of the parts may be effected when required Further, the organization of the parts provides for automatic take up for wear so that the oscillating drive means may operate at peak efficiency during the life of the apparatus.

Various changes coming within the spirit of our invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Hence we do not wish to be limited to the specific embodiments described or uses mentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of our invention being limited only by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a clutch device, a shaft, a rotatable member supported on said shaft, a driving clutch element supported for rotation on said rotatable member, a driven clutch element associated with said rotatable member for rotation therewith, spring .means normally biasing said driving clutch element into operative engagement with said driven clutch element and exerting a predetermined thrust such that when said rotatable member is prevented .from rotating said driving clutch element will be caused to slip relative to said rotatable member, and means selectively operable for receiving the thrust of said-spring means whereby to permit disengagement of said clutch elements to permit free rotation of said driving clutch element.

2. In a clutch device, a shaft, a rotatable member supported on said shaft, said rotatable member having an integral conical portion constituting a driven clutch element, a driving clutch element supported for rotation on said rotatable member and having a clutch face complemental to said conical portion, spring means normally biasing said driving clutch element into operative engagement with said driven clutch element and exerting a predetermined thrust such that when said rotatable member is prevented from rotating said driving clutch element will be caused to slip on said driven clutch element, and means selectively operable for receiving the thrust of said spring means whereby to permit disengagement of said clutch elements to permit free rotation of said driving clutch element.

3. In a clutch device an elongated driven member supported for rotation and including a coaxially disposed clutch face, a driving gear supported for rotation on said rotatable member and having a clutch face coaxial with V and complemental to said first mentioned clutch face, a sleeve having an annular shoulder and freely supported on said rotatable member, spring means normally abutting said shoulder and biasing said sleeve in a direction to abut said driving gear to effect operative engagement of said clutch faces, and means interposed between said driving gear and said shoulder and selectively operable to shift said sleeve so as to absorb the thrust of said spring means whereby to permit free rotation of said gear on said driven member.

4. In a clutch device, a driven member supported for rotation, a driven clutch element associated with said driven member for rotation therewith, a driving clutch element supported for rotation on said rotatable member and adapted to be operatively connected with power means, spring means normally biasing said driving clutch element into operative engagement with said driven clutch element and exerting a predetermined thrust sufficient to maintain said clutch elements in engagement, the eifect of said thrust being overcome when said driven member is prevented from rotating at which time said driving clutch element is caused to slip relative to said driven clutch element, and means selectively operable to absorb the thrust of said spring means whereby to permit free rotation of said driving clutch element on said driven member.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 in which one of the clutch elements is metallic and the other is nonmetallic.

6. The invention as defined in claim 4 in which the driven clutch element is integral with the driven member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,005,429 Hollander et a1 Oct. 10, 1911 1,108,936 Sintz Sept. 1, 1914 1,115,147 Zabrinskie et al Oct. 27, 1914 1,215,779 Conklin Feb. 13, 1917 1,634,942 Hillborn July 5, 1927 1,829,249 Von Beulwitz Oct. 27, 1931 1,985,242 De Back Dec. 25, 1934 2,313,708 Waller Mar. 9, 1943 2,517,415 Preston Aug. 1, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 46,018 Sweden Aug. 13, 1918 

